Integrated modular electric power system for a vehicle

Abstract

A power system architecture for a vehicle includes a source management unit having at least a generator, a first stored energy component, and a second stored energy component. A high voltage DC bus connects a high voltage load to the source management unit. At least one low voltage DC bus connects at least one low voltage DC load to the source management unit. The source management unit includes a plurality of multi-functional power modules configured such that the source management unit includes a multi-level active rectifier connecting the generator to a multi-level DC bus, a first multi-level multi-function converter connecting the first stored energy component to the multi-level active rectifier, a second multi-level multi-function converter connecting the second stored energy component to a multi-level isolated DC bus, and an isolated multi-level DC-DC converter connecting the multi-level DC bus to the multi-level isolated DC bus.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A power system architecture for a vehicle comprising:
 a source management unit including at least a generator, a first stored energy component, and a second stored energy component; 
 a high voltage DC bus connecting a high voltage load to said source management unit; 
 at least one low voltage DC bus connecting at least one low voltage DC load to the source management unit; 
 the source management unit including a plurality of multi-functional power modules configured such that the source management unit includes a multi-level active rectifier connecting the generator to a multi-level DC bus, a first multi-level multi-function converter connecting the first stored energy component to the multi-level active rectifier, a second multi-level multi-function converter connecting the second stored energy component to a multi-level isolated DC bus, and an isolated multi-level DC-DC converter connecting the multi-level DC bus to the multi-level isolated DC bus. 
 
     
     
       2. The power system of  claim 1 , further comprising an AC bus connected to the source management unit, and configured to connect to a ground based AC power source, the AC bus further configured to supply AC power to at least one load. 
     
     
       3. The power system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one load includes a traction motor and a motor driven load. 
     
     
       4. The power system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one load is connected to the AC bus by at least one of a matrix converter and a switch. 
     
     
       5. The power system of  claim 2 , wherein each of said multi-functional power modules further comprises:
 a DC output connected to a multi-level rectifier, 
 a multi-function DC-DC converter connecting the multi-level rectifier to an isolated DC-DC converter, and connected to the first energy storage component; and 
 an output of the isolated DC-DC converter is connected to a multilevel inverter section, a multi-function DC-DC converter, and at least one DC bus output, the multifunction DC-DC converter being further connected to the second stored energy component. 
 
     
     
       6. The power system of  claim 5 , wherein each of the multilevel inverter sections comprises a capacitor in parallel with a half bridge. 
     
     
       7. The power system of  claim 5 , wherein each of the multilevel inverter sections comprises a capacitor in parallel with an H-bridge, and the H-bridge includes an AC bus connection. 
     
     
       8. The power system of  claim 1 , wherein each of said multi-functional power modules further comprises:
 a DC output connected to a multi-level rectifier, 
 a multi-function DC-DC converter connecting the multi-level rectifier to an isolated DC-DC converter, and connected to the first energy storage component; and 
 an output of the isolated DC-DC converter is connected to a multi-function DC-DC converter and a DC output bus. 
 
     
     
       9. The power system of  claim 1 , wherein the generator is configured as a three phase y-generator and each phase has a shared neutral node. 
     
     
       10. The power system of  claim 1 , wherein the generator is configured as a flux regulated three-phase generator. 
     
     
       11. The power system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one low voltage DC bus includes a plurality of low voltage DC busses, with each low voltage DC bus having a similar voltage level. 
     
     
       12. The power system of  claim 1 , wherein a voltage of the high voltage DC bus is at least 600 Volts, and a voltage of the low voltage DC bus is at most 270 Volts. 
     
     
       13. The power system of  claim 1 , wherein each multi-functional power module is approximately identical to each other multi-functional power module. 
     
     
       14. A method for providing electric power to a vehicle comprising:
 providing power to a first DC bus, at least one second DC bus and an AC bus using a source management unit including a generator, and at least a first and second energy storage component, wherein the source management unit a plurality of multi-functional power modules configured such that the source management unit includes a multi-level active rectifier connecting the generator to a multi-level DC bus, a first multi-level multi-function converter connecting the first stored energy component to the multi-level active rectifier, a second multi-level multi-function converter connecting the second stored energy component to a multi-level isolated DC bus, and an isolated multi-level DC-DC converter connecting the multi-level DC bus to the multi-level isolated DC bus. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising providing a first DC voltage to said first DC bus, and at least one second DC voltage to said second DC bus, wherein the DC voltage of the second DC bus is lower than the DC voltage of the first DC bus. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising receiving power from a connection to a ground based power grid via said AC bus. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising receiving regenerative power from at least one load electrically coupled to the AC bus. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 14 , wherein providing power to at least one second DC bus, comprises providing power to a plurality of second DC buses, each of said second DC busses having a distinct voltage level.